{"id":2510,"date":"2014-09-29T10:15:47","date_gmt":"2014-09-29T16:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/disasterresponse\/?p=2510"},"modified":"2015-12-03T14:45:37","modified_gmt":"2015-12-03T20:45:37","slug":"unaccompanied-and-migrant-children-a-safe-and-caring-environment-for-refugee-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/disasterresponse\/unaccompanied-and-migrant-children-a-safe-and-caring-environment-for-refugee-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Unaccompanied and Migrant Children: A safe and caring environment for refugee children"},"content":{"rendered":"
Megan Brandsrud<\/div>\n
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During the past four years, the number of children migrating from Central America (mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala) to the United States has been steadily increasing. More than 60,000 children have arrived so far this year, and it is estimated that a total of 75,000 unaccompanied children will have crossed borders to arrive in the U.S. by the end of 2014.<\/p>\n

Why are they coming? To put it simply, they are coming because they cannot stay where they are. A host of risk factors in their home countries, including drug trafficking, violence, sex trafficking, poverty and exploitation are compelling these children to flee. They are refugees.<\/p>\n

Lutheran Disaster Response has been engaging partners, companion churches and congregations in the U.S. that are in the midst of this situation. As the church, we are called to love and welcome, and we answer that call when children who are running from hunger and harm arrive on our doorstep. Lutheran Disaster Response is helping provide shelter, medical care and schooling to children who are placed at one of Lutheran Social Services of the South’s shelter programs by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.<\/p>\n

Lutheran Social Services of the South (LSS) has been working with the U.S. department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement for eight years to provide a safe place for unaccompanied migrant children. Working with LSS of the South, we will help support a children’s shelter, two transitional foster-care programs and the development of a new shelter site.<\/p>\n